🔗 Share this article

Preamble

The occupational hazards of group stage tennis often result in during this phase of the season-ending championships we’re often left scratching our heads, scrambling about for a mathematical tool and striving to determine the mind-boggling permutations of qualification. However tonight’s match between Alexander Zverev and Felix Auger-Aliassime, mercifully, is straightforward. It’s a straight shootout: the winner sets up a semifinal contest against Carlos Alcaraz at this championship finale; the loser heads out.

The German is the frontrunner for this: the world No 3 is the more experienced competitor, has previously won at this competition on two prior occasions and leads their head-to-head 6-3, winning both their past encounters on an enclosed hard court.

Yet … this type of playing field on which the Canadian has won the majority of his titles, he is in great form after his compelling comeback against Ben Shelton on Wednesday and he defeated Zverev in the US Open early stage in August. Furthermore, the playing speed is higher in the host city than at Flushing Meadows, which works even more in Auger-Aliassime's benefit.

If the German player is reserved, as he did against the Italian, and Felix aggressively challenges the European player with his stinging serves and fearless play, it could well be the North American athlete – the former prodigy who was previously positioned ahead of the younger champions to take over from the legendary trio – who obtains the questionable privilege of facing the top-ranked player tomorrow.

Action commences: at about 8.30pm local time, 7.30pm GMT.